The present invention relates to testing of plain or filter tipped cigarettes, cheroots, cigars or cigarillos and/or filter rod sections. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus for ascertaining the resistance to axial flow of air or another gaseous testing fluid through the fillers of rod-shaped articles which constitute or form part of smokers' products. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus for ascertaining the rate of axial flow of a gaseous testing fluid through rod-shaped articles while the wrappers of such articles are at least partially sealed against the flow of a testing fluid therethrough.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,258,117 to Domeck et al. discloses an apparatus for automatic testing and classifying of cigarettes according to the porosity of their wrappers. The patented apparatus is intended for use in a laboratory (i.e., not in a production line wherein cigarettes are manufactured, provided with filter mouthpieces and inserted into packets) and comprises a hopper which stores a supply of cigarettes to be tested. A fluted drum withdraws cigarettes from the hopper and delivers successive cigarettes to a stationary receiving device at which a sleeve is applied to one end of the cigarette. The sleeve contains a balloon of deformable material which is caused to expand by reducing the pressure along its external surface. This enables the sleeve to be slipped onto a portion of the cigarette to be tested before the balloon expands and sealingly engages the confined portion of the cigarette. The thus confined cigarette is then tested by resorting to a gaseous fluid medium, and the balloon is thereupon expanded to release the freshly tested cigarette. The tested cigarette is admitted into one of several receptacles, depending on the results of the testing operation. The patent to Domeck et al. mentions that the apparatus can be used for testing of cigarettes or filter rod sections. If the tested articles are filter rod sections, the apparatus is to be modified so as to insure that the entire filter rod section is confined in the balloon. The manner in which such modification is to be performed is not disclosed. It would appear that the balloon must be slipped onto a filter rod section while the latter is confined in a flute. A serious drawback of the patented apparatus is that it is not suited for the testing of cigarettes, filter rod sections and like rod-shaped articles which constitute or form part of smokers' products at the rate at which such articles are produced and/or processed in a modern manufacturing plant. For example, recent types of cigarette makers turn out up to and even in excess of 100 cigarettes per second.